Greg Herzog - March 2007:
If you are a golfer you know how expensive it is to play golf in Mexico at a nice course. I have recently been to Cozumel and checked out the Cozumel Country Club which is a Jack Nicklaus design. The fee to walk on and play the course was $175.00 per round. The course is beautiful with lots of wildlife and water hazards. HERE is the good news...The Playa-Azul is an all inclusive hotel across the street from the country club and where as a guest you play unlimited free golf, cart not included. Playa-Azul serves you a free breakfast. Starting April 23 which is first day of off season rate is $139.00 per night for two people. Frontier employees get a 10% discount you must include employee number and travel with badge. Check Playa-Azul.com for reservations and prices.
We recently returned from a trip to Akumal. When the flight to Cancun looked to full we decided to fly into Cozumel, smaller and more user- friendly. Be careful when you exit customs there appears to be lots of people to help who are really timeshare reps.
Just go to the counter for the shuttle and pay your $6 to town. The ferry to Playa costs $12. You can rent a car there and go to Cancun or other locations. Akumal is a wonderful location. Great snorkeling, small not very touristy town with several decent restaurants. We flew back through Cancun. If you are stranded in Cancun, there is an employee hotel the Courtyard Marriott. It costs $75/night plus taxes. It is a very nice hotel about 5 minutes from the airport with a regular shuttle.
The Cozumel airport is a nice airport on the northwest side of the island (Website: http://www.cozumel-airport.com/ ). Unfortunately, public transportation is generally not considered a viable option for travelers visiting Cozumel. There is a public bus system in Cozumel, but it does not go to either the hotels or the beaches which are the two main areas between which visitors are likely to travel. However; visitors interested in getting from one place to another within the town itself, particularly in the downtown area, might find that the bus in Cozumel works for them. Route maps are available at http://everythingcozumel.com/Maps.html . Preferable to buses are taxis. Taxi fares are standardized by the union operating in Cozumel, so be wary of any taxi driver who tries to charge you additional fees or to bargain with you about cost. Standard taxi fares should average about $5 to town from the hotels north of town, $10 to town from the hotels south of town and $60 for an all-island tour. Here's a very good website for prices from the airport to various parts of the island and specific hotels located in downtown and hotels located south of downtown: http://www.travelnotes.cc/cozumel/links/taxifares.php . For visitors interested in finding out about public transportation between Cozumel and the mainland, the best way to go is the ferry. The ferry is located at Muelle Fiscal, at the town pier, and costs 140 pesos one way to Playa del Carmen. The ferry schedules can be viewed at the websites of the two ferry companies, Mexico water jets at http://www.mexicowaterjets.com/eng/ or Ultramar at http://www.granpuerto.com.mx/. We stayed at the Allegro Cozumel All-Inclusive (AI) Hotel. Here's two websites for all of the AI Hotels: http://www.cozumelhotel.com/cozumel_all_inclusive_resorts.cfm and http://allinclusivecozumelresorts.com/ on the island. We enjoyed the Allegro and would return there anytime. Allegro website and reviews: http://www.occidentalhotels.com/allegro/Cozumel.asp and http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150809-d1191402-Reviews-Allegro_Cozumel-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html . As for a walking tour of downtown, here's some information: http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com/Pages/CozumelCruisesOnYourOwnWalkingTour.htm . If you want to eat the best local food, head over to Los Otates. Los Otates has an ideal location, just 3.5 blocks from the ocean, and walking distance to the central plaza and ferry pier on Avenida 15 between Calle Salas and Calle 3. Los Otates serves traditional maize tortilla tacos with a variety of delicious meat fillings. Local rustic atmosphere. Other local specialties also available. It's an old favorite with locals in Cozumel and particularly busy late at night. Perfect for someone who wants something different - try ox tongue tacos, spicy sauces, cold beers and homemade desserts. Here's a Trip Advisor review of Los Otates that confirms what a great place it is for local food: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150809-d1213766-r95314663-Los_Otates-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html . One other place for great local food is El Pique on Avenida 30 at the corner of Juarez across from the supermarket (Trip Advisor Review: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g150809-d1758563-Reviews-El_Pique-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html ). Tacos for about a buck. Good taco el pastor and chuleta, and the choriquezo is excellent. Not a full bar but plenty of beer. Here's some restaurant information if you want to eat out at other restaurants in CZM: http://cozumel.diningguide.com/dl1dt.htm . For an easy 1/2 day trip, rent a car and drive to the east side of the island. There are a couple of bars where you can enjoy the sea breeze. As for bars, there are many choices, but we visited only two. Senor Frog's (Website: http://www.senorfrogs.com/int_restaurantes.php?id=8 ) is simple to find - just listen for the loud music. The setting is friendly and informal and it's impossible not to relax and have fun. Good times are guaranteed and beer is sold by the yard. It's located along the downtown seafront (Melgar) between 7th and 11th Streets, next to Punta Langosta. It's open late, connected with Carlos 'n' Charlies restaurant downstairs. Fat Tuesday (Website: http://fat-tuesday.cozumel.net/drinks.htm ) is another very popular party stop among the local and cruise crowd. The DJs love to play the top 40 dance tunes and get the crowd riled up so they can behave badly. Frozen drinks, especially daiquiris, are the specialty of the house. These potent potions are served by the glass, the yard and the gallon. Many people come to Cozumel for snorkeling and scuba diving. We just did snorkeling along our hotel beach. Here's a website for Cozumel scuba information: http://www.scuba-diving-cozumel.com/ . Whatever you decide, Cozumel is a great place to visit!
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Cozumel Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Cozumel
Playa del Carmen Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Playa_del_Carmen
Mayan Riviera Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Mayan_Riviera
Greg Herzog - March 2007:
If you are a golfer you know how expensive it is to play golf in Mexico at a nice course. I have recently been to Cozumel and checked out the Cozumel Country Club which is a Jack Nicklaus design. The fee to walk on and play the course was $175.00 per round. The course is beautiful with lots of wildlife and water hazards. HERE is the good news...The Playa-Azul is an all inclusive hotel across the street from the country club and where as a guest you play unlimited free golf, cart not included. Playa-Azul serves you a free breakfast. Starting April 23 which is first day of off season rate is $139.00 per night for two people. Frontier employees get a 10% discount you must include employee number and travel with badge. Check Playa-Azul.com for reservations and prices.
We recently returned from a trip to Akumal. When the flight to Cancun looked to full we decided to fly into Cozumel, smaller and more user- friendly. Be careful when you exit customs there appears to be lots of people to help who are really timeshare reps.
Just go to the counter for the shuttle and pay your $6 to town. The ferry to Playa costs $12. You can rent a car there and go to Cancun or other locations. Akumal is a wonderful location. Great snorkeling, small not very touristy town with several decent restaurants. We flew back through Cancun. If you are stranded in Cancun, there is an employee hotel the Courtyard Marriott. It costs $75/night plus taxes. It is a very nice hotel about 5 minutes from the airport with a regular shuttle.
The Cozumel airport is a nice airport on the northwest side of the island (Website: http://www.cozumel-airport.com/ ). Unfortunately, public transportation is generally not considered a viable option for travelers visiting Cozumel. There is a public bus system in Cozumel, but it does not go to either the hotels or the beaches which are the two main areas between which visitors are likely to travel. However; visitors interested in getting from one place to another within the town itself, particularly in the downtown area, might find that the bus in Cozumel works for them. Route maps are available at http://everythingcozumel.com/Maps.html . Preferable to buses are taxis. Taxi fares are standardized by the union operating in Cozumel, so be wary of any taxi driver who tries to charge you additional fees or to bargain with you about cost. Standard taxi fares should average about $5 to town from the hotels north of town, $10 to town from the hotels south of town and $60 for an all-island tour. Here's a very good website for prices from the airport to various parts of the island and specific hotels located in downtown and hotels located south of downtown: http://www.travelnotes.cc/cozumel/links/taxifares.php . For visitors interested in finding out about public transportation between Cozumel and the mainland, the best way to go is the ferry. The ferry is located at Muelle Fiscal, at the town pier, and costs 140 pesos one way to Playa del Carmen. The ferry schedules can be viewed at the websites of the two ferry companies, Mexico water jets at http://www.mexicowaterjets.com/eng/ or Ultramar at http://www.granpuerto.com.mx/. We stayed at the Allegro Cozumel All-Inclusive (AI) Hotel. Here's two websites for all of the AI Hotels: http://www.cozumelhotel.com/cozumel_all_inclusive_resorts.cfm and
http://allinclusivecozumelresorts.com/ on the island. We enjoyed the Allegro and would return there anytime. Allegro website and reviews:
http://www.occidentalhotels.com/allegro/Cozumel.asp and
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150809-d1191402-Reviews-Allegro_Cozumel-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html . As for a walking tour of downtown, here's some information: http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com/Pages/CozumelCruisesOnYourOwnWalkingTour.htm . If you want to eat the best local food, head over to Los Otates. Los Otates has an ideal location, just 3.5 blocks from the ocean, and walking distance to the central plaza and ferry pier on Avenida 15 between Calle Salas and Calle 3. Los Otates serves traditional maize tortilla tacos with a variety of delicious meat fillings. Local rustic atmosphere. Other local specialties also available. It's an old favorite with locals in Cozumel and particularly busy late at night. Perfect for someone who wants something different - try ox tongue tacos, spicy sauces, cold beers and homemade desserts. Here's a Trip Advisor review of Los Otates that confirms what a great place it is for local food:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150809-d1213766-r95314663-Los_Otates-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html . One other place for great local food is El Pique on Avenida 30 at the corner of Juarez across from the supermarket (Trip Advisor Review:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g150809-d1758563-Reviews-El_Pique-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html ). Tacos for about a buck. Good taco el pastor and chuleta, and the choriquezo is excellent. Not a full bar but plenty of beer. Here's some restaurant information if you want to eat out at other restaurants in CZM: http://cozumel.diningguide.com/dl1dt.htm . For an easy 1/2 day trip, rent a car and drive to the east side of the island. There are a couple of bars where you can enjoy the sea breeze. As for bars, there are many choices, but we visited only two. Senor Frog's (Website: http://www.senorfrogs.com/int_restaurantes.php?id=8 ) is simple to find - just listen for the loud music. The setting is friendly and informal and it's impossible not to relax and have fun. Good times are guaranteed and beer is sold by the yard. It's located along the downtown seafront (Melgar) between 7th and 11th Streets, next to Punta Langosta. It's open late, connected with Carlos 'n' Charlies restaurant downstairs. Fat Tuesday (Website: http://fat-tuesday.cozumel.net/drinks.htm ) is another very popular party stop among the local and cruise crowd. The DJs love to play the top 40 dance tunes and get the crowd riled up so they can behave badly. Frozen drinks, especially daiquiris, are the specialty of the house. These potent potions are served by the glass, the yard and the gallon. Many people come to Cozumel for snorkeling and scuba diving. We just did snorkeling along our hotel beach. Here's a website for Cozumel scuba information:
http://www.scuba-diving-cozumel.com/ . Whatever you decide, Cozumel is a great place to visit!